Did you know there are two types of sleep? There are. One is a physical necessity, while the other is to be strictly avoided spiritually! Spiritual analogies to the natural definitely exist and spiritual sleep is one of them.
Spiritual sleep is also one of the many things the Lord Jesus warned about:
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back–whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ (Mark 13:32-37)
Do NOT Let Him Find You Sleeping!
The context of the above is the return of the owner (Jesus) to his house, but what is this dangerous spiritual sleep? Mark 13:33 say, “Be on guard. Be alert!” That is contrasted to spiritual sleep. Hence, spiritual sleep is to be off your spiritual guard and not alert. That same concept is shown in one of the Pauline epistles:
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the HOPE of salvation as a helmet. (1 Thess. 5:6-8)
Be Alert and Self-Controlled
To be alert and self-controlled is a common mandate found in the Scriptures and are especially the needed qualities to prevent the devil from devouring us (1 Peter 5:8)! Spiritual sleep is a major problem in our long distance race and overtook the majority at Sardis, who needed to wake up:
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. (Rev 3:2)
The distractions of this life can wipe us out from being spiritually fruitful, if we are not careful. We must remain focused. We live in this world, but are merely passing through as an alien and stranger. The Christian life is also a walk of faith where we must look beyond the tangible. Remember the Parable of the Sower and the thorns and also Jesus’ warning about not being caught sleeping when Jesus returns. He’s coming back, ready or not!
